Remember the Pythons
Remember The Pythons
Every once in a while, in sport as in life, shit just goes right for you. Tonight under lights at Ryan’s Reserve in Richmond, the 5 time premiers Richmond Central Pythons put on a netball clinic for the struggling RC Mambas, running out winners by 41 to 1. A winning percentage of 4100%.
For the first time in a long time, we had a full roster of 7 full time Pythons players, Langerak and Parker back in the circle together. Larritt and Dunne defending. Maria in the middle with Jen and Elle supporting her in the mid court. Let’s be honest, things were never going to end well for the Mambas.
Coach Baron’s pre game speech was simply this:
Coach: “hey girls – look at me. Look at me in the eyes”
Coach: “Have we got any fill-ins tonight?”
Team: “No Coach”
Coach: “Ok let’s fucking BURY them, no remorse. Make them remember the Pythons.”
What we learnt:
Form is temporary – Class is permanent
Alanna likes a Falcon
Maria can be and is, the best bullet passer in the league.
When both Langerak and Parker are on like they were tonight, no one can beat us.
When the whole team is dominant, Elle can win best on ground. Well done.
Jen has the best handles in the team.
Pythons still can’t shut a team out with a clean sheet.
Stats:
Amanda Langerak
Shots Made: 26
Shots Missed: 8
Amanda Parker
Shots Made: 13
Shots Missed: 7
A bit has changed with the Pythons recently; we lost 3 times Premiership player Laura Hindson to a season (and perhaps career) ending knee injury. She underwent surgery from RC Pythons Club Doctor three weeks back and is recovering well on a strict diet of YoChi and Steak Nights at Arcadia in South Yarra. She currently has Pythons Facebook chat on mute, but stops in every once in a while with an update.
Fed Kaso has been brought back into the mix a bit more regularly, fresh off a promotion at work. She has generally speaking been dominant for us, especially when filling back court roles. The Shepparton native loves country netball and when the elbows start swinging that’s when she does her best work.
Jen continues to juggle work and Netball commitments, being a big time lawyer and the best Wing Defender in the league ain’t easy after all. Recently having adopted a second puppy, being a member of the Trail Walk team, and juggling JW’s busy Old Geelong social calendar can’t be easy. But Jen remains as committed as ever to a Pythons 6th straight premiership.
Alanna Dunne continues her push towards imminent engagement, with Elias taking another step along the way to the big day by cutting off the Top Knot for charity. If I’m honest, Alanna remains in the top three players in the competition and almost without question is the starting GD in the Richmond Netball team of the Century.
Amanda Langerak, our goal attack, remains in the hunt for the season ending Sandy Robertson Medal despite having missed 4 or 5 games mid-season with a back injury. Although Facebook tells me regularly that she maintains a healthy social calendar, she remains unlucky in love just how the Pythons like her, because it means her focus is firmly on bringing home a 6th straight premiership. Langerak is back at the top of the goals-scored charts, and is a probably the “single” most critical part of our tilt for #6.
Elle Mena has had some changes in her life also, dropping some dead weight and getting back on the horse, her netball has improved another level again. What some of you out there reading don’t realise is that Jess and Elle play no fewer than 5 games a week together and the chemistry and cohesion that goes with that is a big part of the Python’s success.
Jessie Larritt is still the glue behind the entire comp. Subaru Australia pay her a reasonable wage to organise the whole thing as well as the RCNFC social calendar whilst churning out approximately 150 used cars per week. Thanks Subaru. Jess has copped a bit of criticism over the years for building a super team; some have even compared what the Golden State Warriors have done in the NBA to being a copycat of what Jess Larritt did with the Pythons. When interviewed by the Associated Press, Jess Larritt was quoted as saying
“I guess it’s similar, but the Pythons actually win premierships, unlike Golden State.”
Maria who was our inaugural Sandy Robertson Medal Winner is quietly going about her business having another season for the ages. Maria is probably one of our most versatile players, being able to play every position on the court (despite struggling to sink goals this season). Coach Baron tries his best not to put her in GK though because he hears about it for the next 3 days how she didn’t get enough steps because she was in “Bloody GK”. Despite being a favorite in the team for first Python in the race to the alter, I have it on good authority she’ll avoid that responsibility.
Parks is still a live wire, and still from Wangaratta. Despite being sick tonight she was one of the hardest workers on the court. Every now again I get the pleasure of having Fed on the bench with me and we talk about the team and how everyone is going. Without fail, every time she is in awe of how athletic Parks is. Parker will be critical in our run home this final season at Ryan’s. If we want 6, then she’s going to need to shoot 70% plus and play with full focus and passion. When she does, it’s brilliant to watch.
Having won 5 straight, the Pythons have been talking in whispers about a change for a while, and under the leadership of Vice Captain Alanna Dunne have finally announced a move away from Richmond Netball, into the Tuesday night CitySide competition in search of more competition and some fresh umpiring. We find ourselves again with a chance at immortality, on the precipice of greatness, surpassed only by the likes of Queensland State of Origin (8 in a row), Serena Williams (7 Wimbledon Championships) and Roger Federer (7 Wimbledon Championships).
After spending most of the season having fun, trying something new, mixing the positions up, the Pythons are finding form at the right time, hammering the Vipers recently, drawing a game we should have won against the Serpents, and winning tonight 41-1. We’re ready for finals.
The goal is pretty simple.
Make sure everyone Remembers The Pythons.
